Personal Defense Device and Method

ABSTRACT

A device and method for executing self-defense using non-lethal form of weaponry provides for the use of capsaicinoids-containing repellant admixed with a solid marking agent. The marking agent contains material not soluble in water. The marking agent can be glitter particles having particle size of between 50 microns and 3000 microns. A canister containing pepper spray and the glitter particles can be carried by law enforcement personnel or civilians. Once the repellant agent is dispensed it deposits on the skin and clothing of a suspect, making it easier to identify the suspect.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to personal defense devices, and, more particularly, to an apparatus for providing law enforcement and private citizens with a single device that integrates law enforcement tools and mechanisms for the application of capsaicinoids.

Capsaicinoids are a group of natural inflammatory products that are isolated from the dried fruits of chili peppers (e.g., Capsicum frutescens) via extraction such as with an organic solvent. Capsaicinoids are lachrymatory agents (chemical compounds that can irritate the eyes to cause tears, pain, and even temporary blindness). The crude extract of peppers is called Oleoresin Capsicum (“OC”) and contains a variety of chemicals including significant quantities of the capsaicinoids.

OC and capsaicinoids are used as active components for the production of self-defense articles known as non-lethal pepper spray products used by law enforcement and civilians. The capsaicin-containing products are used by law enforcement agencies worldwide to assist in the apprehension of non-compliant suspects and in crowd control. The temporary blindness allows officers to more easily restrain subjects. Members of the general public also carry these products to help protect themselves against aggressive attack by animals and other individuals, while giving an opportunity to persons using pepper spray for self-defense an opportunity to escape. Pepper spray causes immediate closing of the eyes, difficulty breathing, runny nose, and coughing. The duration of its effects depends on the strength of the spray but the average full effect lasts around thirty to forty-five minutes, with diminished, effects lasting for hours.

Some sources suggest that the effects of pepper spray, including temporary blindness, may last from 15-30 minutes, a burning sensation of the skin may last from 45 to 60 minutes, upper body spasms which force a person to bend forward and uncontrollable coughing making it difficult to breathe or speak may last between 3 to 15 minutes. During this time, a suspect or assailant may disappear in a crowd, making apprehension of a suspect more difficult.

The present invention contemplates provision of an apparatus and method of using a personal defense device that would facilitate apprehension of a suspect exposed to pepper spray.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a personal defense device using an irritant-containing agent in liquid form.

It is another object of the invention to provide a personal defense device that combines the function of spraying an inflammatory agent with a marking agent.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method of using non-lethal capsaicin-containing product while also marking a suspect or assailant.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved through a provision of a device and method for executing self-defense using non-lethal form of weaponry. A repellant substance is stored in a container, which can be a pump or an aerosol canister, or any other suitable container. The repellant substance contains capsaicinoids admixed with a solid marking agent.

The marking agent contains material not soluble in water. The marking agent can be glitter particles having particle size of between 50 microns and 3000 microns. The canister containing pepper spray and the glitter particles admixed with the pepper spray can be carried by law enforcement personnel or civilians. Once the repellant agent is dispensed it deposits on the skin and clothing of a suspect, making it easier to identify the suspect. If the glitter particles are small enough they may not be detected by the suspect, while an analysis can prove that the suspect was either at the scene of the crime or had contact with the person at the scene of the crime.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, and wherein

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device according to this invention and schematically illustrating a spray emanating therefrom.

FIG. 2 illustrates a method of using the device according to the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning now to the drawings in more detail, numeral 10 designates a portable container or canister for retaining a pre-determined quantity of the capsaicin-containing agent according to this invention. In one aspect of the invention, the canister 10 is a spray-dispensing device capable of emitting a fine mist of capsaicin-containing product admixed with a marking agent, for instance glitter powder. The canister 10 can be a pump or an aerosol-spraying device.

The canister 10 comprises a rigid hollow cylindrical body 12 with a closed bottom 14 and an open top end 16. A depressible pump head 18 is titled in the top open end 16. The pump head 18 is in fluid communication with the interior of the canister body 12, where a quantity of the irritant agent is stored. A dip tube (not shown) extends inside the container body 12. The liquid irritant-containing agent is drawn up through the dip tube for dispensing from the container 10.

An upper part 20 of the canister 10 is provided with an elongated cutout 22. The pump head 18 extends into the upper part 20 below the cutout 22, while frictionally sliding moving within the canister body 12. The pump head 18 sealingly engages the inner wall of the canister body 20 and prevents the liquid irritant agent from escaping the canister body 12.

A nozzle opening 24 is formed in the pump head 18. The nozzle opening 24 is oriented toward the cutout 22. The nozzle opening 24 is in fluid communication with the interior of the canister body 12. When depressed by a finger, the pump head 18 bears against the interior wall of the canister 10 and is displaced in a co-axial orientation with the central, axis of the canister body 12. The pumping action causes pressure differential inside the canister body 12 and ejection of a small quantity of pressurized irritant-containing liquid from the nozzle opening 24 toward a remote target.

The spray emitted from the nozzle opening 24 contains a capsaicinoids mixed with tiny particles of a solid marking agent not soluble in water. In the preferred embodiment, the marking agent is an inert powder containing light-reflective material, such as glitter. In this invention, glitter can be formed as small flat particles 26 that have reflective capabilities. When these particles are applied to surfaces, they each reflect light in different angles causing the surface to sparkle or glitter.

Commercial glitter is available from a variety of manufacturing sources. Commercial glitter ranges in size from 50 microns to 6250 microns. In one aspect of the invention, the glitter particles used in the present invention can be between 50 microns and 3000 microns. In the preferred embodiment, the solid glitter particles have particle sizes less than 1000 microns in diameter. The glitter particles are suspended in the liquid, capsaicin-containing agent-stored in the canister 10. When the pepper spray 28 is discharged from the canister 10, the glitter particles 26 travel in the spray flow outside of the canister 10.

In operation, a user 30 presses the pump head 18 to release a squirt of the pepper spray 28. The spray is directed toward an assailant 32 causing the assailant to lose vision, experience cough, burning sensation of the skin and other consequences of having the capsaicinoids contact the assailant's face and exposed skin. Even if the assailant recovers quickly from the effects of the pepper spray the glitter particles will remain on the assailant's skin and clothes making it easier for law-enforcement personnel to identify the assailant.

It is a known fact that capsaicin is not soluble in water, and even large volumes of water will not wash it off. In general, victims are encouraged to blink vigorously in order to encourage tears, which will help flush the irritant from the eyes. However, even after the effects of the capsaicin exposure are reduced the solid reflective material will mark the assailant's skin and clothes making it easier for the police to identify the assailant.

Because of the tens of thousands of different commercial glitters, identical glitter particles can be compelling evidence that a suspect has been at a crime scene. Glitter particles are easily transferred through the air or by touch, yet cling to bodies and clothing, often unnoticed by suspects. As a result, the smallest glitter particles contained in the pepper-spray and deposited onto the assailant's skin and clothing can be used by the law enforcement personnel to positively identify the assailant.

Typical OC-based pepper spray devices can be dispensed between 5 to 20 times using sequential one-second pulses from a range of 5-30 ft, depending upon the product and environmental conditions. The user 30 may dispense more than one spray and cover more of the clothes and skin of the assailant. The non-lethal reflective agent affords enhanced protection to a potential attack victim. Accuracy of aim is not critical with such a device as any contact of the glitter-containing pepper spray will mark the potential assailant for later identification. When sprayed onto an assailant's body or clothing, the glitter agent will deposit on the assailant's skin and clothing that cannot be removed without thorough washing.

The container 10 may be an aerosol canister or other pressurized container, which retains the irritant-containing agent under pressure. Actuation of a valve in such container enables release or dispensing of the capsaicin-containing agent from the container. Alternatively, the pump may include a piston-style pump mechanism. The capsaicin-containing agent can be in a powder form, if desired, with the glitter particles mixed with the repellant particles.

Many changes and modifications can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. I, therefore, pray that, my rights to the present invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. 

I claim:
 1. A personal defense device, comprising: a rigid portable container retaining a pre-determined quantity of a repellant agent: a manually activated means for dispensing the repellant agent mounted on the container, said dispensing means comprising a spray nozzle; and wherein the repellant agent contains a capsaicin-containing substance and a solid marking agent admixed with the capsaicin-containing substance.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the dispensing means comprises a depressible member reciprocally moving inside the container, the depressible member carrying the spray nozzle.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the solid marking agent, comprises material not soluble in water.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the solid marking agent contains light-reflective particles.
 5. The device of claim 4, wherein the light-reflective particles contain glitter particles.
 6. The device of claim 4, wherein the light-reflective particles have particle size of between 50 microns and 3000 microns.
 7. The device of claim 4, wherein the light-reflective particles have particle size of less than 1000 microns.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the repellant agent is liquid.
 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the repellant agent is powder.
 10. A method of self-defending against an assailant, comprising the steps: providing a rigid portable container; depositing a pre-determined quantity of a repellant agent into the container; providing a manually activated means for dispensing the repellant agent mounted on the container, wherein the repellant agent contains a capsaicin-containing substance and a solid marking agent admixed with the capsaicin-containing substance; and dispensing the repellant agent from the container such that the repellant agent is deposited on the assailant.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the dispensing means comprises a depressible member reciprocally moving inside the container, the depressible member carrying a spray nozzle.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the solid marking agent comprises material not soluble in water.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the solid marking agent contains light-reflective particles.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the light-reflective particles contain glitter particles.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the light-reflective particles have particle size of between 50 microns and 3000 microns.
 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the light-reflective particles have particle size of less than 1000 microns.
 17. The method of claim 10, wherein the repellant agent is liquid,
 18. The method of claim 10, wherein the repellant agent is powder.
 19. A method of marking a suspect, comprising the steps: providing a rigid portable container; depositing a pre-determined quantity of a repellant agent into the container; providing a manually activated means for dispensing the repellant agent mounted on the container, wherein the repellant agent contains a capsaicin-containing substance and a solid marking agent admixed with the capsaicin-containing substance; and dispensing the repellant agent from the container such that the repellant agent containing the marking agent is deposited on the assailant.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the repellant agent is liquid.
 21. The method of claim 10, wherein the repellant agent is powder.
 22. The method of claim 19, wherein the marking agent contains light-reflective glitter particles.
 23. The method of claim 19, wherein the glitter particles have particle size of between 50 microns and 3000 microns.
 24. The method of claim 19, wherein the dispensing means comprises a depressible member reciprocally moving inside the container, the depressible member carrying a spray nozzle.
 25. The method of claim 19, wherein the solid marking agent comprises material not soluble in water. 